How to Recognize Pneumonia Symptoms?

Answer 1

Pneumonia is an infection in which the sufferer’s lungs become inflamed. Pneumonia is most often caused by a virus or bacteria. It is sometimes caused by inhalation of chemical fumes or vomit. In every type of pneumonia, the inflamed lungs are filled with mucous and other liquids that prevent a person from breathing normally. Irregular breathing blocks oxygen from reaching blood and cells. If untreated, pneumonia may be fatal.

Symptoms

Pneumatic symptoms sometimes occur during or after a person suffers from flu, cold, or other respiratory infections. The following are general symptoms of pneumonia:

--A mucus-filled cough

--Chills and shaking

--Fever

--Pain in the chest, especially while coughing and inhaling deeply

--Vomiting and nausea

--Diarrhea

--Rapid heartbeat

--Fatigue, malaise, lethargy

--Shortness of breath

The above symptoms may be milder in some patients than in others. Walking pneumonia is often the term used to describe patients whose symptoms are less severe than others. The symptoms of pneumonia are similar to other respiratory illnesses, such as bronchitis, tuberculosis, and COPD.

Pneumonia is often harder to diagnose in infants and the elderly because their symptoms may be less severe. They may have a dry cough rather than a mucus-filled one. Older adults and infants may not have a fever. A major sign of pneumonia in the elderly is delirium, which means that the person may show signs of confusion. Sometimes pneumonia develops in older people as a result of a severe lung infection or disease. Pneumatic symptoms in children may include lethargy, fever, or loss of appetite.

Diagnosis

Those who exhibit the above symptoms should contact their doctor. There are several tests that physicians use to diagnose pneumonia, including a chest X-ray and/or physical exam. The chest X-ray is performed so that the physician can examine the patient’s lungs, though the X-ray may be inconclusive if performed during the early stages of illness. In many cases, the X-ray may reveal the cause of the pneumonia or alert the physician about other illnesses, like COPD or a collapsed lung. Some physicians may perform a urine test or mucus sample exam. Other tests or exams may be administered as the professional sees fit.